"Book of the Week" is meeting with you again!
The main recommended book in this issue is "Ancient and Modern Waka Collection". It is the second oldest poetry anthology in Japan, with 20 volumes and 1100 poems. Most of these poems revolve around the natural winds of the four seasons and the changing love affair, and these poems have a far-reaching impact, "many critics still regard this book as the pinnacle of Japanese literature."
In addition, this week's book list has selected 4 good books from social science, history, politics and other categories to recommend for everyone. Let's take a look at what new books the book reviewers have selected, which may be worth your attention and reference.
literature
300 Ancient and Modern Waka Collections (Japanese) Edited by Ji Guanzhi et al., translated by Chen Li and Zhang Fenling, Yazhong Culture | Beijing United Publishing Company, March 2020
Completed in 905, the Ancient and Modern Waka Collection is the second oldest poetry anthology in Japan, consisting of 20 volumes and containing 1,100 poems. The themes of most of the poems are "four seasons" and "love songs", showing the observation and appreciation of the four seasons, the perception of the passage of the four seasons, and the delicate portrayal of love, which sets the tone of Japanese literature in terms of theme and meaning, and has a far-reaching influence, "many critics still regard this book as the pinnacle of Japanese literature."
Taiwanese poet Chen Li and his wife Zhang Fenling's Chinese translation of "Ancient and Modern Waka Collection 300" is selected from 303 pieces, divided into six series of "Spring Songs", "Summer Songs", "Autumn Songs", "Winter Songs", "Love Songs" and "Miscellaneous Songs", which respond to the original theme categories of "Ancient and Modern Waka Collection" in terms of classification, and are more systematic. In order to make it easier for readers to understand the content of the poem, the translator adds "translator said" under the poem, similar to "note", some explain the age, background, and meaning of the words of the poem, and some find the literary origin of a poem, such as the selected 162nd poem, "The translator said" as follows: "Bai Juyi's poem "Twilight" has a sentence 'When the heart is always bitter at four o'clock, the intestines are interrupted is autumn', which seems to be the basis of this short song. "The origins of Japanese literature and Chinese literature are deep and long, and this connection and comparison of translators is very helpful for readers to understand the meaning of short songs." In addition, there is a "singer biography" in the appendix, which is a very useful addition for waka lovers.
(Zhang Jin)
social science
Ukiyo Ganges (English) by George Blake, translated by Han Xiaoqiu, Fang Inch | Social Sciences Academic Press, February 2020
George Black
（George Black）
A British journalist who has been writing on human geography-related topics for The New Yorker for many years, he has a huge passion for rivers and mountains. This is a travelogue of his travels in India. George Blake descends the river from the fabled source of the Ganges, the cow, the mouth, and paints a ukiyo-e depiction of the strange but unique rules of the ganges that he saw along the ganges. These include ascetics in the mountains, yoga center owners, young engineers who manage the Ganges, and Jandhara, the ancient power to cremate remains by the river... He writes from the remains of Indian princes, Mughal rulers and British colonists to india today, interspersed with his travels and commentaries. In addition to recording the amazing social phenomena of India, George Blake also dissects the complex history behind these phenomena for the reader, breaking many stereotypes and leaving a true and profound record of India' multi-civilized country.
(Xu Yuedong)
history
"Choice: History and People at the Time of the Ding Revolution", by Xie Xizhang, Tianxi Culture 丨 Tiandi Publishing House, April 2020
What books did the Guangxu Emperor's three edicts require the courtiers to read? Who did Yuan Shikai, who was born a martial general, come from in the late Qing Dynasty? Did Yan Fu, who was in the early years of restoration and conservative in his later years, really oppose Yuan Shikai's claim to the title of emperor? The prototype of Fu Qing, the head of the Seven Swords in "Seven Swords Under the Heavenly Mountain", is actually a generation of painters? Li Zhen, Huang Zongxi, Lü Liuliang, Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Yan Fu... Behind this string of brilliant names, there is both little-known history and the backbone of the scholars. The background of the era selected in this book is mostly concentrated in the chaotic era of dynastic collapse and change, including the two stages of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties and the late Qing and early Ming dynasties. As a well-known cultural critic and scholar of modern history, Xie Xizhang hopes to explore the inner world of these characters by depicting their personal experiences and choices at the time of the stormy Revolution. Xie Xizhang proceeded from the historical basis and strived to build a credible historical scene. He believes that in the era of rapid turns of historical trains, there are upheavals and upheavals all the time, and these changes have caused strong shocks and impacts on people's psychology, which in turn has affected everyone's judgment and behavior. Literati and scholars are a particularly sensitive group, and their reactions are naturally richer and more complex than ordinary people.
(Ho An An)
politics
Demostinius Speeches (Ancient Greece) by Demostinius, translated by Zhiren, Xinmin | Guangxi Normal University Press, February 2020
Demostinius, born in 384 BC, was a famous Athenian orator and statesman. In his early years, he studied rhetoric from Issa, and later worked as a surrogate writer and defense lawyer, strongly opposing the Macedonian invasion of Greece. This book is the first translation of the works of the famous Athenian orator Demostinius in the original canon of the Chinese publishing industry, which includes the famous passage "Golden Crown Words". There are 61 extant speeches by Demosthini, and in addition to the Golden Crown, this book also includes works such as "Nothing for the Envoy".
Considered the best example of ancient Greek speech, the Golden Crown took place in 336 BC, when the Athenian politician Christyphon proposed to award a golden crown to Demostinius in recognition of his outstanding contribution. Demosthini's political enemy Eskiñez attacked Demostinius by prosecuting him for "unconstitutional proposals". Demostinius defended Ketsiphon with the Golden Crown, but in fact defended himself, and eventually won the Golden Crown. This speech has become a famous passage for thousands of years in terms of overall speculation, intention and details.
(Zhang Ting)
Written by Zhang Jin Xu Yuedong He An'an Zhang Ting
Edited by Xu Wei
Proofreading Wang Xin